Apparatus for supporting clotheslines or the like



2,950,823 APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING CLOTHESLINES OR THE LIKE Filed June 7, I 1957 F. J. WOIDKA Aug. 30, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.

5:1 ram? FIG. 5

FIG. 4

INVENTOR. FRANK J. WOIDKA ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1960 F. J. WOlDKA APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING CLOTHESLINES OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed June 7, 1957 FIG. 8

FIG. 6

FIG. 9

INVENTOR. FRANK J. WOIDKA ATTORNEYS ass sts Patented Aug. 36, 1&60

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING CLOTHESLINES OR THE LIKE Frank J. Woidka, 320 Ardussi St., Saginaw, Mich.

Filed June 7, 1957, Ser. No. 664,225

13 Claims. (Cl. 211-119.1)

This invention relates to apparatus for supporting clotheslines or the like and more particularly to indoor clotheslines supporting devices having line anchoring parts so constructed as to be readily separable from their supporting structure so as to enable the indoor area to be cleared of clotheslines and clothesline anchoring parts when desired.

Most of the dwellings which include a basement have laundry facilities located in the latter and it is not uncommon for clotheslines to be strung on overhead anchoring elements secured to the floor supporting joists or beams to provide for the drying of laundry during inclement weather. These anchoring elements and the lines supported thereby are unsightly and quite often hazardous, especially if there is little head room in the room where they are located. The conversion of large portions of basement areas to recreation or the like rooms is becoming increasingly popular and presents a problem in providing laundry drying facilities which are neither hazardous nor unsightly in the converted area. Various kinds of so-called disappearing clothesline supports have been proposed in the past, most of which are adapted to swing from a position in which the line supporting ele ments are substantially vertical to a substantially horizontal position, but such devices cannot be used successfully in rooms provided with a ceiling because the ceiling will interfere with the swinging of the elements.

An object of the invention is to provide clothesline supporting apparatus having line anchoring elements adapted to extend through a ceiling to support an overhead line, the anchoring elements being removable when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide clothesline supporting apparatus of the kind referred to in which the line anchoring elements are quickly and easily assembled and disassembled. v

A further object of the invention is to provide indoor clothesline supporting apparatus adapted for use in a room provided with a ceiling and have separable anchoring elements which may be maintained in assembled relation with their supports without the provision of additional parts such as locking pins.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide indoor clothesline supporting apparatus composed of readily separable elements which are maintained in assembled relation by the weight of the line and the laundry supported thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide clothesline supporting apparatus of simple and durable construction and easily installed by the home owner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of apparatus constructed and assembled in accordance with one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of one of the units shown in Figure 1, certain parts of the building construction being shown in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged partly sectional and partly elevational view showing an assembled unit;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partly sectional view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, and illustrating the manner in which an opening formed in the room ceiling to accommodate the support ing apparatus may be closed when one of the elements of the line supporting apparatus is disassembled from the other;

Figure 6 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section illustrating a modification of the invention;

Figure 7 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section and illustrating another modified form of the invention;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to Figure 8, but illustrating different relative positions of the parts; and i Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 9.

A typical building construction is represented in Figure 1 wherein the first story floorboards 1 are secured to the upper edges of spaced, parallel joists 2 having their ends supported on basement walls (not shown) and spanning the distance therebetween. It is conventional practice for those home owners whose basements or other laundry rooms contained exposed joists or beams to mount hooks or the like (not shown) on the lower edges of the beams or joists 2 to provide supports for an indoor clothesline upon which laundry may be hung to dry. When the basement or other room is converted to a recreation or the like room, these hooks or similar parts are removed and the joists covered by ceiling forming material. A typical ceiling construction is disclosed in Figure 1 as comprising a plurality of furring strips 3 secured to the lower faces of the joists 2 in any conventional manner (not shown) and to which are secured interlocking panels 4 of known construction. When the ceiling has been installed, the homeowner is reluctant to restore the line supporting hooks or the like due to the hazard they would present if the head room of the basement is low and also because of the unsightly appearance of such devices. Thus, it is not infrequently results that laundry drying space is sacrificed, or alternatively, appear-ance is sacrificed and safety jeopardized.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is designed to provide adequate laundry drying facilities at the expense of neither safety nor appearance, and in the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures l-4, the line supporting apparatus is represented generally by the reference character 5 and comprises a mounting element or member 6 having a longitudinal bore 7 extending therethrough from end to end and having Welded or otherwise suitably secured to one face thereof a pair of mounting flanges or brackets 8 adapted for reception of means such as screws 9 for securing the element 6 on a selected joist 2 with its bore 7 substantially vertical. As is best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, one of the mounting brackets 8 is located more closely adjacent to one end of the element 6 than the other for a purpose presently to be explained.

The apparatus 5 also includes a clothesline anchoring element 10 adapted to have a portion of its longer arm 11 telescopingly received in the bore of the element 6, the lower end of the arm '11 being extended and formed as a hook 12 to which one end of -a clothesline 13 may be anchored.

The units are used in pairs and, when installing the apparatus, the tubular elements 6 should be secured to their associated joists 2 prior to the completion of the ceiling installation. If furring strips 3 are used, as disclosed in the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the mounting bracket 8 which is farther from the end of the element 6 should be placed lowermost and substantially flush with the lower edge of .the joist 2 so that the element 6 will extend downwardly beyond the lower edge of the joist to a point adjacent to the lower surfaces of the ceiling panels 4. If no furring strips are used the other end of the member 6 may be placed lowermost, in which event the lower end .of the member 6 again will be located adjacent to the lower surface .of the ceiling panels. The

accurately positioned relatively to the ceiling panels.

After a suitable number of elements 6 are secured to spaced joists in the manner disclosed in Figure l, the ceiling panels 4 may be installed in a conventional manner. Those panels 4 which would be located immediately below the members 6, however, should have an opening 4:: formed therein in alignment with the bore 7 of each member .6 and through which the leg 11 of the anchoring member may pass. The size of the opening 4a need be only large enough to accommodate the lower end of the mounting member 6.

It will be readily apparent from the description thus I far that the size of the openings 4a is insuflicient to accommodate a persons hand to permit devices such as locking pins to be manipulated to maintain the elements 6 and 10 in separable assembled relation. However, it is important that means be provided for holding the elements in assembled relation until such time as the clothesline 13 can be strung. Accordingly, apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention includes a part on the telescoping portion of the line anchoring member which is so related in size and shape to the size and shape of the bore of the supporting element as removably to retain the elements in assembled relation by engagement between the part and the mounting element.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 1-4, the upper end of the anchoring member leg 11 is split to form a pair of arms 14, both of which preferably are outwardly bowed to form laterally projecting parts 7 15 which, when the elements 6 and '10 are disassembled, have an overall dimension slightly greater than the diameter of the bore 7, so that when the elements are assembled the parts 15 will yieldably engage the'inner wall of the element 6 and frictionally retain the element 10 in assembled relation with the member 6. After a spaced pair of elements 10 has been installed in this manner, opposite ends of the line 13 may be anchored to the lower extension of the elements 10 so as to exert a force on the latter tending to urge them towards one another. The application of force to the members '10 will tend to cause them to be cooked or canted relatively to their respective supporting members 6, thereby causing the telescoped arm portions 11 to bind in the bores of the respective element 6 and increase the frictional engagement therebetween. When laundry is hung on the line 13, even greater frictional force will be exerted by the portions 11 on the walls of the bores 7 so as to preclude the possibility of inadvertent separation of the elements 10 and 6. i

As long as the binding force is applied to the elements 10, the clothesline will be supported at a convenient height below the level of the ceiling panels 4. When it is desired to remove the clothesline and its anchoring elements, the force exerted by the line 13 on the elements 10 may be relaxed and the latter may be withdrawn from the mounting members 6 and stored in a convenient place. Thereafter, a rosette 17 or the like, having spring fingers 4 18 may be inserted in each of the openings 4a with the fingers in the .bore of the element 6 to close the opening. The room then may be used as desired without fear of injury from line supporting parts and with no unattractive supports or openings in view.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6, the mounting element 6 is the same as the element 6 described in connection with Figures '1 -5, but the anchoring element iltla iii-tiers tram the element d0 in that the telescoping portion Ida of the element 10a is provided adjacent to its upper end with an enlargement or part 19 yieldab'ly urged by a spring 20 into such position as to x r a f rc on th here lot the member n and frictionally retain the elements 6 and 10a in assembled relation. The location of the 'ball 19 maybe such that, in assembled relation, it protrudes beyond the inner surface of the bore and seats upon the upper end thereof, as shown in Figure 6, or it may be so located that it bears directly against the wall of the bore 7. The manner of operation of the apparatus shown inFignre 6 is similar to that previously described.

The embodiment of -the invention shown in Figures 7-10 comprises a mounting element 21 having mounting brackets 22 and 23 similar to the brackets '8 and adapted to secure the element 21 on a joist in the manner previously described. The mounting element '21 comprises a tubular member 24 of generally keyhole configuration, in section, to provide a bore having a main section 25 and a secondary section 26. Preferably, the secondary bore section 26 extends in a direction parallel to the plane of the mounting brackets 22 and 23.

The modified embodiment of the invention includes an anchoflng member 27 having a shank or arm portion '28 terminating at its lower end in an extension 29 bentinto the shape of a hook 30 similar to the book 12 and to which one end of the line 13 may be secured. The shank 28 of the member 27 is of such size as to be telescopingly received in the main bore portion 25 and carries adjacent to its upper end a laterally projecting en largement or part '31 adapted to be received in the secondary bore section 26 so as to permit the element 27 to be assembled with the element 21 from the bottom of the latter in the direction of the arrow in Figure 7.

When assembling the elements 21 and 27, the latter should be pushed through'the element 21 a distance sufiic ient to enable the enlargement 31w project above the top of the member 24-, whereupon the element 27 may be given a quarter turn in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 8 so as to permit the enlarge- Inent 31 to seat on the upper edge wall of the main bore section (see Figures 9 and '10) and maintain the elements in assembled condition. To disassemble the elements 21 and 27, it is necessary only to realign the enlargement 31 and the inecondary bore section 26 whereupon the element 27 may be withdrawn from the element 21. The operation of the apparatus shown in I- igures 7-10 is similar to the operation of the embodiments desoribed heretofore.

The disclosed embodiments are representative of pres ently preferred forms of the invention, but are intended'to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The inven tion is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for supporting a elothesline or the like comprising an elongated mounting element having a bore therethrough; means connected to said mounting element for mounting the latter on an overhead support with said bore substantially vertical; an elongated line anchoringelement having a substantial portion of its iength adapted for telescoping reception in the bore of said mounting element for assembling said elements, said portion when assembled with said mounting element hav? ing a substantial part of its length in engagement with ai mounting element so as to prevent substantiallateral movement of said anchoring element relative to said mounting element; and means extending from one end of said portion of said anchoring element for connection to one end of a line, said portion of said anchoring element including an enlargement so related in size and shape to the size and shape of said bore of said mounting element as to pass through said bore and removably retain said elements in assembled relation by engagement between said enlargement and said mounting element.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said enlargement of said anchoring element is yieldably urged into frictional engagement with the wall of said bore.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said portion of said anchoring member is split from its other end to form two arms, at least one of which is outwardly bowed to form said enlargement.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said enlargement comprises a ball member.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said bore of said mounting element includes a main bore section and a secondary bore section extending laterally from said main bore section, and wherein said enlargement of said anchoring element includes a lateral projection adjacent to its other end adapted for passage through said secondary bore section, said anchoring element being rotatable relatively to said mounting element upon passage of said projection through said secondary bore section to cause said projection to seat on the wall defining said main bore section.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a pair of brackets one secured adjacent to each end of said mounting element, one of said brackets being located more closely adjacent to its associated end of the mounting member than is the other bracket.

7. In a building having a plurality of spaced apart overhead joists to the lower surfaces of which are mounted panels to form a ceiling, the combination of apparatus for removably supporting an overhead clothesline or the like below the level of said ceiling, said apparatus comprising a mounting element having a bore therethrough; means connected to said mounting element for mounting the latter on one of said joists with said bore substantially vertical and its lower end terminating above the lower surface of said ceiling, one of said panels having an opening therein in alignment with the bore of said mounting element; a line anchoring element having a portion of its length adapted for telescoping reception in the bore of said mounting element for assembling said elements; and means depending from one end of said anchoring element and extending through the opening in said panel below the level of said ceiling for connection to one end of a line, said portion of said anchoring element including an enlargement so related in size and shape to the size and shape of said bore of said mounting element as to pass through said bore and removably retain said elements in assembled relation by engagement between said enlargement and said mounting element.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said enlargement of said anchoring element is yieldably urged into frictional engagement with the wall of said bore.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein said portion of said anchoring member is split from its other end to form two arms, at least one of which is outwardly bowed to form said enlargement.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein said enlargement comprises a ball member.

'11. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein said bore of said mounting element includes a main bore section and a secondary bore section extending laterally from said main bore section, and wherein said portion of said anchoring element includes a lateral projection adjacent to its other end adapted for passage through said secondary bore section, said anchoring element being rotatable relatively to said mounting element upon passage of said projection through said secondary bore section to cause said projection to seat on the wall defining said main bore section.

12. In a building having a plurality of spaced apart overhead joists to the lower surfaces of which are mounted panels to form a ceiling, the combination of apparatus for removably supporting an overhead clothesline orthe like below the level of said ceiling, said apparatus comprising a pair of mounting elements each having a bore therethrough; means connected to each of said mounting elements for mounting the latter in spaced apart relation on selected joists with the bore of each of said mounting elements substantially vertical and the lower ends of each of said mounting elements terminating above the lower surface of said ceiling, the panel immediately below each of said mounting elements having an opening therein in alignment with the bore of its adjacent mounting element; a line anchoring element for each of said mounting elements, each of said anchoring elements having a portion of its length adapted for telescoping reception in the bore of its associated mounting element for assembly of said elements; means depending from said portion of each of said anchoring elements and extending through the associated openings in said ceiling for connection to opposite ends of a line; and means forming an enlargement of said portion of each of said anchoring elements and cooperable with said mounting elements for removably retaining said elements in as sembled relation.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 including a line anchored at opposite ends to said anchoring elements and exerting a force on said anchoring elements tending to bind said portions of the latter relatively to the bores of their respective mounting elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 850,097 Perkins Apr. 9, 1907 926,445 Vogel June 29, 1909 2,260,917 Ruggieri Oct. 28, 1941 2,729,411 Ian. 3, 1956 

